americans, and the president also reaching out by phone to the governors of the two states, governor cuomo of new york and chris christi of new jersey. >> dan, thanks very much. >>> while republicans have been fighting among themselves over the fiscal cliff deal and the disaster relief, we're learning of an angry and foul-mouthed exchange between the house speaker john boehner and harry reid days before the deal. it was touched off by this comment from harry reid. >> the american people i don't think understand the house of representatives is operating without the house of representatives. it's being operated with a dictatorship of the speaker, not allowing the vast majority of the house of representatives to get what they want. john boehner seems to care more about keeping his speakership than keeping the nation on firm financial footing. >> our senior congressional correspondent, dana bash, is joining us with more on this story. pick it up for our viewers, because some ugly words were exchanged. >> reporter: that's right. this incident happened last friday in the lobby of the white house